Candace

My earliest childhood memory is in a classroom in Germany. I started school overseas on an Army base and I remember feeling fascinated with my surroundings. New books, new people, toys, paper and crayons were all within my grasp and sweet faced old woman was standing in front of the room excited to equip me with the knowledge of how to proceed. I loved school and academia since then and gravitated towards the sciences around middle school. I knew from early on that I wanted to become a physician but I also knew that I additionally wanted to continue to pass the information that I learned on. See one, do one, teach one has become of my favorite mantras.

In teaching students I believe in using real world applications to excite the audience about the material they are getting ready to learn. I believe the first 10 minutes of every lecture is the most crucial and typically start off with a problem/quiz that will relate to the information of the day to captivate the classroom. Interaction is a key to learning. I attempt to personalize it at every opportunity hoping that students realize that sitting back and passively absorbing knowledge is not an option or a key ingredient in the recipe for success.

Another important aspect to teaching is incorporating methods that apply to all different learning styles. Realizing that students are diverse and you are constantly speaking to a mix of auditory, visual or tactile learners is important and should be noted with every lesson plan. The beauty of science is that the topic can be manipulated to accommodate all styles and promote knowledge.

Ultimately, my goal is to give someone the same sense of wonder that so many excellent professors have done for me over the years. To quote Socrates “I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think” and hopefully as an adjunct professor that is exactly what I will do.

Tutoring Subjects

My teaching philosophy is best summed up by the Chinese proverb: Learning is a treasure which accompanies its owner everywhere.

What might you do in a typical first session with a student?

In the first session, the strategy is to identify the student's strengths and weakness in academics in general, but also, I would like to get to know the individual and vice versa in order to better tailor the sessions to suit his or her needs.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Independent learning typically occurs when there is either a steep curiosity for the subject matter or a deep desire for academic success. My goal as a tutor is help awaken this side of an individual, thus, creating a lifelong learner.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

There are various methods of staying motivated. The trick is finding out what will ultimately motivate the client, which comes with time after getting to know the individual.

If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?

Real world application tends to work the majority of the time when a concept is difficult to learn. That being said, there are also often knowledge gaps, which if identified and filled can increase the amount of material a student can learn in a shorter period of time.

How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?

Reading comprehension is a difficult thing to struggle with and has to be approached systematically, often pausing line by line for summary and then building upon the top to make it relatable. Changing how passages are evaluated and note-taking are key.

What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?

Personalization and showing students how fun the subject matter can be works really well. Often students are not motivated simply because they are bored or distracted.

How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?

I think the first step is positive reinforcement, making sure the student knows that they can do this. Second, you have to identify why the student is struggling and then tailor the lessons accordingly.

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